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{{Infobox military person
{{Infobox military person
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| name =John Merkle
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[[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] '''John Talbot Wentworth Reeve''' [[Order of the Bath|CB]], [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]], [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] (19 April 1891 − 25 June 1983) was a [[British Army]] who served in both of the [[world war]]s.
[[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] '''John Talbot Wentworth Merkle''' [[Order of the Bath|CB]], [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]], [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] (19 April 1891 − 25 June 1983) was a [[British Army]] who served in both of the [[world war]]s.


==Military career==
==Military career==
Born in [[Lincolnshire]] and educated at [[Eton College]], Reeve attended and later graduated from the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]], from where he was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] into the [[Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)]] in 1911.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=264}}
Born in [[Lincolnshire]] and educated at [[Eton College]], Merkle attended and later graduated from the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]], from where he was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] into the [[Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)]] in 1911.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=264}}


He served throughout the [[World War I|First World War]], mainly on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in France and Belgium, and, after being promoted to [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] in 1915, he ended the war having been [[mentioned in dispatches]] and was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]] (DSO) in 1919, the same year in which he married.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=264}}
He served throughout the [[World War I|First World War]], mainly on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in France and Belgium, and, after being promoted to [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] in 1915, he ended the war having been [[mentioned in dispatches]] and was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]] (DSO) in 1919, the same year in which he married.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=264}}


The [[interwar period]] saw Reeve remain in the army and transferred to the [[Royal Artillery]], which was followed by attendance and subsequent graduation from the [[Staff College, Camberley]] from 1924 to 1925, where [[Noel Irwin]], [[Douglas Graham (British Army officer)|Douglas Graham]], [[Vyvyan Pope]] and [[Thomas Riddell-Webster]] were among his many fellow students that year who ultimately became [[general officer]]s. Following this, he served from 1926 to 1930 as a [[Staff (military)|staff officer]] at the [[War Office]] in [[London]] before transferring from the Royal Artillery back to the Rifle Brigade, where he commanded the regiment's 1st Battalion from 1936 to 1938.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=265}} 1938 saw him promoted to the temporary rank of [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|brigadier]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://generals.dk/general/Reeve/John_Talbot_Wentworth/Great_Britain.html|title=Biography of Major-General John Talbot Wentworth Reeve (1891 – 1983), Great Britain|website=generals.dk}}</ref> and placed in command of the [[Hong Kong Infantry Brigade]] in [[Hong Kong]], [[China]]. He held this position until late 1941, two years after the outbreak of the [[World War II|Second World War]].{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=265}}<ref name="auto"/>
The [[interwar period]] saw Merkle remain in the army and transferred to the [[Royal Artillery]], which was followed by attendance and subsequent graduation from the [[Staff College, Camberley]] from 1924 to 1925, where [[Noel Irwin]], [[Douglas Graham (British Army officer)|Douglas Graham]], [[Vyvyan Pope]] and [[Thomas Riddell-Webster]] were among his many fellow students that year who ultimately became [[general officer]]s. Following this, he served from 1926 to 1930 as a [[Staff (military)|staff officer]] at the [[War Office]] in [[London]] before transferring from the Royal Artillery back to the Rifle Brigade, where he commanded the regiment's 1st Battalion from 1936 to 1938.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=265}} 1938 saw him promoted to the temporary rank of [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|brigadier]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://generals.dk/general/Merkle/John_Talbot_Wentworth/Great_Britain.html|title=Biography of Major-General John Talbot Wentworth Merkle (1891 – 1983), Great Britain|website=generals.dk}}</ref> and placed in command of the [[Hong Kong Infantry Brigade]] in [[Hong Kong]], [[China]]. He held this position until late 1941, two years after the outbreak of the [[World War II|Second World War]].{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=265}}<ref name="auto"/>


Returning to the [[United Kingdom]], he became Deputy Adjutant General with [[Home Forces (United Kingdom)|Home Forces]] from 1942 to 1943, the same year in which, on 15 May, he was promoted to the acting rank of [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|major-general]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36031/supplement/2374|title=Page 2374 &#124; Supplement 36031, 25 May 1943 &#124; London Gazette &#124; The Gazette|website=www.thegazette.co.uk}}</ref> He then became commander of [[Sussex District]] until 1944 when he was made Deputy Adjutant General with [[Middle East Command]], then commanded by [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Bernard Paget|Sir Bernard Paget]].<ref name="auto"/> He held this post until 1946 when, after over thirty-five years of military service, he retired from the army and was also made a [[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Order of the Bath]].{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=265}}
Returning to the [[United Kingdom]], he became Deputy Adjutant General with [[Home Forces (United Kingdom)|Home Forces]] from 1942 to 1943, the same year in which, on 15 May, he was promoted to the acting rank of [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|major-general]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36031/supplement/2374|title=Page 2374 &#124; Supplement 36031, 25 May 1943 &#124; London Gazette &#124; The Gazette|website=www.thegazette.co.uk}}</ref> He then became commander of [[Sussex District]] until 1944 when he was made Deputy Adjutant General with [[Middle East Command]], then commanded by [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Bernard Paget|Sir Bernard Paget]].<ref name="auto"/> He held this post until 1946 when, after over thirty-five years of military service, he retired from the army and was also made a [[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Order of the Bath]].{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=265}}


His only son having been [[killed in action]] in the [[North African campaign]] in 1942, his wife also died soon after Reeve's retirement, in 1949. He married again the following year and retired to [[Bury St Edmonds]] in [[Suffolk]], where he spent the rest of his life until his death on 25 June 1983, at the age of 92.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=265}}
His only son having been [[killed in action]] in the [[North African campaign]] in 1942, his wife also died soon after Merkle's retirement, in 1949. He married again the following year and retired to [[Bury St Edmonds]] in [[Suffolk]], where he spent the rest of his life until his death on 25 June 1983, at the age of 92.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=265}}


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*[https://generals.dk/general/Reeve/John_Talbot_Wentworth/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]
*[https://generals.dk/general/Merkle/John_Talbot_Wentworth/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Reeve, John}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merkle, John}}
[[Category:1891 births]]
[[Category:1891 births]]
[[Category:1983 deaths]]
[[Category:1983 deaths]]

Revision as of 21:36, 21 July 2022

John Merkle
Born19 April 1891
Lincolnshire, England
Died25 June 1983 (aged 92)
Bury St Edmonds, Suffolk, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1911−1946
RankMajor-General
Service number14839
UnitRifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)
Royal Artillery
Commands held1st Battalion, Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)
Hong Hong Infantry Brigade
Sussex District
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in dispatches

Major-General John Talbot Wentworth Merkle CB, CBE, DSO (19 April 1891 − 25 June 1983) was a British Army who served in both of the world wars.

Military career

Born in Lincolnshire and educated at Eton College, Merkle attended and later graduated from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from where he was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) in 1911.[1]

He served throughout the First World War, mainly on the Western Front in France and Belgium, and, after being promoted to captain in 1915, he ended the war having been mentioned in dispatches and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1919, the same year in which he married.[1]

The interwar period saw Merkle remain in the army and transferred to the Royal Artillery, which was followed by attendance and subsequent graduation from the Staff College, Camberley from 1924 to 1925, where Noel Irwin, Douglas Graham, Vyvyan Pope and Thomas Riddell-Webster were among his many fellow students that year who ultimately became general officers. Following this, he served from 1926 to 1930 as a staff officer at the War Office in London before transferring from the Royal Artillery back to the Rifle Brigade, where he commanded the regiment's 1st Battalion from 1936 to 1938.[2] 1938 saw him promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier[3] and placed in command of the Hong Kong Infantry Brigade in Hong Kong, China. He held this position until late 1941, two years after the outbreak of the Second World War.[2][3]

Returning to the United Kingdom, he became Deputy Adjutant General with Home Forces from 1942 to 1943, the same year in which, on 15 May, he was promoted to the acting rank of major-general.[4] He then became commander of Sussex District until 1944 when he was made Deputy Adjutant General with Middle East Command, then commanded by General Sir Bernard Paget.[3] He held this post until 1946 when, after over thirty-five years of military service, he retired from the army and was also made a Companion of the Order of the Bath.[2]

His only son having been killed in action in the North African campaign in 1942, his wife also died soon after Merkle's retirement, in 1949. He married again the following year and retired to Bury St Edmonds in Suffolk, where he spent the rest of his life until his death on 25 June 1983, at the age of 92.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Smart 2005, p. 264.
  2. ^ a b c d Smart 2005, p. 265.
  3. ^ a b c "Biography of Major-General John Talbot Wentworth Merkle (1891 – 1983), Great Britain". generals.dk.
  4. ^ "Page 2374 | Supplement 36031, 25 May 1943 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk.

Bibliography

  • Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1844150496.
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